“I got hit by another car, and now my medical bills are starting to pile up. I’m worried about how I’m going to pay for all of this?”

It happened so fast. You were driving on the road and suddenly your car jerks. You look around and wonder, what just happened?

You were just involved in a car crash. You must seek medical attention for yourself and your family if they were involved. But medical care is not cheap. You can suffer serious injuries even in car accidents some try to label as “minor.” Medchical bills start piling on your dining table, with several bills arriving in the mail, daily. Sometimes you receive the same bill over and over again. Emergency room bills, ambulance bills, chiropractor, physical therapy. If your pain does not go away you’ll be forced to see specialists and further, more specialized treatment.

How am I supposed to pay for all of this?

There are a few methods to pay your bills. These include:

Your car or auto insurance policy. A lot of policies sold in California have something called Medical Payments (Med Pay) coverage. This would pay for necessary and reasonable medical expenses up to a certain amount. This coverage is available even if the accident was your fault. You see limits of $5,000 usually but you can buy more or less.

Your health insurance. If you have health insurance through your employer, or spouse, then you can use it to receive care. However, they may require you to complete some forms if they are aware of your accident.

Liens from medical providers. This isn’t a way to pay for your medical bills, but to delay payment until a settlement or jury award is received. There are times when this is the preferred way to receive treatment, and times when it is not.

How you choose to pay your medical bills has a huge effect on your case. It is important you know the risks and rewards for choosing how you will pay your medical bills. These risks are too numerous to be included in this article. A thorough interview and discussion is needed to help you decide the best method for you.